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The Inverted Student Density and Test Scores

Author(s):
Boldt, Robert F.
Publication Year:
1973
Report Number:
RB-73-33
Source:
ETS Research Bulletin
Document Type:
Report
Page Count:
19
Subject/Key Words:
Scores, Statistical Analysis

Abstract

The inverted density is one whose contour lines are spheroidal as in the normal distribution, but whose moments differ from those of the normal in that its conditional arrays are not homoscedastic, being quadradic functions of the values of the linear regression functions. It is also platykurtic, its measure of kurtosis ranging from that of the normal to that of the uniform depending on the value of a parameter: as that parameter increases, the inverted student distribution approaches normality. Measures of kurtosis are given for distributions of scores on a number of cognitive tests, and they are almost all seen to be platykurtic. Data are presented showing that a quadratic terms contributes substantially to the regression of conditional variances on test scores in a bivariate distribution. These data suggest that the inverted student distribution may provide a better description of distributions of test scores than does the normal. (Author) (19pp.)

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